Means of parking cars in garages



Nov; 15,1932. H. K. WHEELER 1,837,667

MEANS OF PARKING CARS IN GARAGES Filed April 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l 1 FIG I INVENToR 5 0/0700 Wig/M WAZI; EY

Nov. 15, 1932. K, WHEELER 1,887,667

MEANS OF PARKING CARS IN GARAGES Filed April 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Nov. 15, 1932. H. K. WHEELER MEANS OF PARKING CARS IN GARAGES Filed April 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 15, 1932.

H. K. WHEELER MEANS OF PARKING CARS IN- GARAGES Filed April 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 146' 11 4 @III. 1/

FIG 9 I'll //v VENTOR Ndv. 15, 1932. H. K. WHEELER 1,887,667

MEANS OF PARKING CARS IN GARAGES I Filed April 2, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /N VEN To 1? WRW I Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLMAN K. WHEELER, or NEWTON. cENrEaMAssAcHU-sETTs, ASSIGNOR ro MECHANI- can 'rnansrnn can conronarron; or s'r; J'Q'HNSBURY; vnnaion'r, A CORPORATION 0F VERMONT NIEANS' OF PARKING CARS IN GARAGES Applieation-filed-Apr-il 2, 1929; Serial No. 351,853.

in ears in garages or in anyparking spaces considerable free space is required to ma,- neuver the cars about and also considerable skill is required, in my new method very lit,-

tle free space is required, no diflicult maneuvers necessary and further there is. no.

danger of damage or collision of cars.

In my earlier application, United. States patent application, Serial No. 322,024, filed November 26th, 1928, I havedisclosed certain new improvements inparking carsalong the present line but the invention. there relates only to a system in which an aisle is adjacent to a single row of'stall's, In. the present invention practically the entire-space in a garage may be used for parking'ca'rs. by further improvements in the method, apparatus and system about to be described.

The further advantages of the present invention will be better learned by a. consideration of the following description. of anembodiment of the invention in-connectiona with the drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 show-layouts. of the system.

Figures '3, 3a and 4: show details of the driving and operating mechanism.

Figures 5 and 6 show details: of, the operating mechanism. 7

Figures 7 and 8 show a modification.

Figures 9 and 10 showdetails of theconstruction and operating means of the system employing a magazine car.

Figure 11 shows a'detail of; the operating means.

Figure 12 shows a modification.

Figure 13 shows a detail of the coupling means. 7

Figures 14 and 15 show a detailof the'opcrating means.

Figures 16, 17 18 and 1-9 show'details of the electrically controlled, coupling system.

. Figure 20 shows schematically a, preferred embodiment of the invention- In my earlier application above referred I provided an aisle-with stalls oneach side and the transfer-cars were moved from the stall to the aisle in taking a car out. I This system. demanded about one third of the space in a garage for aisles. In my presentv invention not even. this space is demanded for I; make the stalls themselves movable to the right or left'to make an opening or aisle. totakeout motor cars directly inv back.

Aspreviously eachmotor car is kept on its own individualv transfer car where it is free from injury by collision and can be easily moved about. The cars are movable transversely however either singly or in groups of two or more than two,'dependingon how many cars need-be moved to allow cars in therear to be brought out. Further in this system there is no need of having transfer cars for the last row. These may be put in stalls one beside the otheras it is possible to make an. aisle in front of any car-to allow it tobebrought out. 7 r

A. further improvement in the present system is found in the arrangement and combination of the; system so far briefly described with the magazine transfer can for simultaneously collect-ingand distributing a num-- ber of cars from, either side of the permanent aisle to the elevator or elevators'or; the; exit or entrance space. In connection with the system where cars are parked ontboth sides of the permanent aisle the magazine car is particularly useful to'lfoad and unload simul-. taneously a; number of cars. I

V In Figure 1 is shown a storage system in which there is a center driveand exit 1-, or an elevator 2, if the floor plan shown is not the first floor, and apermanent open aisle 3 as it will beealled hereafter. WVhere the space for the garage is so shapedthat the -permanent open aisle 3may be placed: symmetrically and will'prove the most serviceable plan as then fewer rows of cars. standing before the'rear cars needbe moved. 7 H

Therowsma-rked 5, 6, 7, and 8 are provided with transfer cars exceptin the end stalls 9, 10, 11,12, 13, and 14which are empty so that the whole row may be moved one stall space one way or the other., The back, rows running the-long dimension. of the garage this I 15 and 16 have notransfer cars as it is not '17, 18, and 19;

necessary to move the car stored there to the left or right to remove them.

Tracks 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, are preferably provided so that the transfer cars may be easily moved and in fact any number can easily be moved together.

Means are provided for-coupling the cars together such as hooks or a car coupling device as is well known in the art and each transfer car may be coupled to the next car at all times. When it is desired to make an opening to bring a rear car out, the rows in front may be uncoupled at that point and power applied at the end of the train to move th trains to the right or left to make an opening for the rear car to come out. In this manner only the end car need be provided with power or in fact no car need be provided with power, the center'car in the permanent aisle having coupling means to push or pull the side rows one way or the other. As shown in Figure 1 the center car 25 may be coupled to the row 5, after the row is uncoupled at the point 26. The car 25 may be then moved to the right and the row 5 will be opened at the point 26 for the car 27 to come out. The coupling means may be automatic and controlled by switches at the side wall or by the position of the transfer car on the rail. As the transfer car 25 moves to the right or left it may open up the coupling between transfer cars in the adjacent rows andthen all that would be necessary toshift the cars is to couple the transfer car 25 to the row at the point of the break of the cars. 7

Some of the details for accomplishing this are shown in Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19; In Figure13 is shown a coupling means 28 in the shape of a bar with ends shaped to in the pieces 29'and 3O fastened respectively to cars 31 nd 32. The coupling bolt 28 may be pivoted in one socket piece 29 or be removable.

lVhere the coupling and uncoupling are de sired to be automatic the means may be constructed and operated as shown in Figures 16, In Figure 16 the coupling bar 33 is pivoted in forked piece 34: which takes the place of the piece 29. Asprin'g 35 x= and catch 36 keeps the bar 33 in a substantially horizontal position under spring pressure and as the cars are moved towards one another the latch 37 slips over the cross bar 38 in the adjacent car and the two cars are joined since the end 39 of the latch is also now touching the coupling member 40 on the adj acent car.

The cross bar 38 is movable in th holes in the arms ll and d2 of the coupling member l0 by means of the solenoid 43 which draws the cross bar 38 back against the spring la in the end case 45 when current is supplied to The cross bar 38 need only be operated when it is desired to uncouple the cars.

It may be operated as shown in F igure 19.

The tracks and 51 are supposed in the center permanently opened row and the transfer car the one operating in that row. Under ordinary conditions the cars are coupled together as shown in Figure 13. It is desired tomove the car on the left in Figure 13 one space over, it is never necessary to move it more than one space over. The center row car 52 comes along a track parallel to the tracks" 53, 54 in the adjacent row as shown in Figure 19 to a point just opposite the car 55 at which time the circuit through the battery 56 on the car 52 completed to operate the solenoid and draw back the cross bar 38. The circuit is completed through the wire 57 contacts 58 and 58 wire 59 contact 60 and 60, wire solenoid l3, wire 66 contact 61 and 61 wire 62 contact 63 and63t and wire 64 back to the battery. r Y

WVhen the two cars are opposite one another the coupling onone side of the car opens and remains that way by virtue of the current in the circuit until the contact has been broken. This is broken by motion of the cars and allows the latch 37 to move sufficiently from the position of the cross bar 38 before the latter again snaps in place. The center car 52 is coupled to'the cars in the next row by means of'a chain or by an extensible rod as shown in Figures 15 and 14 operated at the side by the hand lever T1. This rod 70 may be extended through two ormoretransfer cars in adjacent rows ifdesired and in this manner more than one row may be moved at once.

In the manner' above described the center transfer car-can control any and all operations necessary to move out or put in any car.

Inplace of a single transfer car in the center row, the same methods can be applied with very much improved results in most cases to a magazine transfer car as shown in Figure 2. V The system may be set up exactly as in Figure 1 with the exception that there is magazine car 72 containing preferably space for more than two cars and any number up to one half the numberof cars in the adjacent row. This means allows operation from the adj acent rows to the magazine car and many cars can be deposited and withdrawn from their stalls with only one movement of the car. As employed the magazine car 72 may be moved from the extreme right to the extreme left and in the process, cars may be removed from or put on the elevator 75 and removed from or put on the individual transfer zine transfer car comes opposite the car to be uncoupled, the contacts on the magazine car being at oneend of the car. The magazine car72 comprises a plurality of parallel guides ment.

Each individual car may be moved by hand, or if the cars are uncoupled at the desired point and coupled together to the very end car, the line may be moved by moving the end car. This is shown in Figure-20. If the system. of Figure 19 .is'adopted as shown in Figure 20, the magazine car uncouples the car opposite to it as it approaches, and in this posit-ion an openingmay be made in the aisle or rows of transfer cars. 7 j

In'Figure each parallel row, of which one row 200 is shown, has the individual carriers 201 connected by the latch and bar mechanism shown in Figures14, 16 and 17. In this Figure 20 the lower open aisle carriers 202 and 203 are joined together by the removable link 28 shown in Figure 13. The system as described in connection with Fig me 19 is used in Figure 20 for opening the connection between individual carriers 201 in the row 200. The plates 58 and 63 are located on theopen aisle carrier rails and are energized by the battery 56 on the open aisle carrier 202.- Electrical energy is therefore applied to the plates 60 and 61" and the magnet 43 is operated to withdraw the bar 38 holding the latch arm 33. p v

In Figures 3 and 4 the transfer cars are shown as driven from above although the drive may be from beneath. The transfer car on which the machine 81 is shown has side brackets 82 and 83 and overhead frame supports 84, 85, and 86. At the top of the frame are supported two pulleys 87 and 88 in horizontal axes. These pulleys have a cable 89 making one turn about them. The

ley 91 at the other end. The pulley 91 is the driving pulley being driven by the motor 92 through the reduction gear 93.

By preventing the pulley 87 or 88 from turning as will be shown afterwards the transfer car 80 may be moved in either direction. When both pulleys 87 and 88 are free the pull in one direction balances the pull in the other direction and the car remains where it is. As the car is carried by the cable, the arm 94 pushes against the supporting arm 95, which flies up as shown in Figure 3 but really in a horizontal plane and the arm 96 comes beneath the cable to support it. This mechanism is shown more in detail in Figure 3a. The sprocket 97 carrying the arms 95, 96, 98 and 99 is free to rotate in either direction when the arm 94 comes in contact with it.

the floor. i

In Figures 9,10, 11, and 12, is shown a sys- As the arm 94pushes the sprocket arm the cam 101 pushes outward the spring 102 which thereby becomes tensioned. When the sprocket has turned just more than 45 the spring begins to push on the cam and snaps it into'position with the arm 96 or 99 now underneath the cable depending upon whichway the sprocket was turned. In this manner the arm will come beneath thecable to support it before the pulleys on the transfer car have moved far enough to allow the cable to sag. In this manner the pulley can travel back and forth without beinginterferred with by supports.

The means for locking the pulley asmen- In Figure 5 the upright support 83 has an friction discs 105 and 106. At the ends of the shaft 104 are collar members 107,108

which can be moved in and out on the shaft. 8 I

7 so forked bearing as shown by 109 Figure These collar members are supported in The lever 110 carrying the forked bearing is pivoted by a pin 111 and bracket bearing 112 fixed to the upright. support 83. The lower end of the lever 110 is adapted to be engaged I by the cam 113 operated by the handlever 114. The left side of Figure 5 is constructedv exactly as the right. In operating the mechanism when it is desired to lock the roller 88 the arm 114 is raised. Thee-am 113 comes in.

contact with-the lower part of the lever 110 forcing this outward and the collar 108 inward, bringing the pulley 88 to bear against the leather 105. The pulls are therefore unequal and the transfer car will move; If.

the car was to be moved in the opposite direction the hand lever 114 should havebeen thrown downward.

3130 tloned above is shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Instead of supplying'power in the manner indicated in Figures 3,4 and 5, a portable vv mechanism could be used as shown in Fig ures 7 and 8. Here a portable'rolling truck 115 may be supplied with a motor 116 which can have aplug connection 117 and a switch the floor'and when the motor is turned on, 1

the transfer car can easily be pushed along tem for operating the magazine car preferably, but any car can be operated in the same manner if desired.

In Figure 9, the magazine car has a plurality of guide channels 130, which are spaced 7 apart to accommodate cars side by side the near the handle 118. The'truck has a pair. of wheels 119, 119, and an arm or holding platform 120 which can be placed under the same spacing as found in the rows of indi{ vidual transfer cars,

These' channels are held rigidly together in a frame by the cross rods and irons shown in the figure. The magazine car is also provided with a plurality of wheels 13 1, adapted to run on tracks perpendicular to the direction of the guide channels.

On the floor aligning with the guide channels are permanently fixed guide channels 132, 132, etc., adapted to guide the cars in their stalls or on the transfer cars as indicated in Figure 9.

The driving means isva pulley system driven by the driving pulley 1&0; -The cable 1&2 passes between two guides 143, 1 13, and at the other end around a pulley 1 1%. On the magazine car it passes one turn around each of the pulleys 145, 146 as indicated more clearly in Figure 10.,

The ma azine car 15 o erated b r caole irom o j the'hand brake lever 150 on the car. lhis lever moves the roe 151 lon ltudmallv to 1 v 1 J 1 bring tneipulley 1&0 or 146 against tne lOCJ- in face late 1 which is faced with the leather discs1 l8. For this purpose the rod 151 carries an adjustable cross rod 149 which carries the collar 152 fitting in a groove in the pulley collar 153. The movement of the rod 151 moves positively the prlleys in or out ofengagement with the face plate 147. The rod 15% carrying the face plate 14:? is lined by pins 155, and 156 and does not rotate.

' instead of moving the magazine transfer in .this way, the magazine car may have one .end of the cable fined at one end of the car as shown in idigure 12 at 157 and the other end of thecable fixed at 158. At. one end of its travel the cable will pass around a pulley 159 and at the other end within guide pulleys 160 and 161 around the driving pulley 162. The motor 163 for driving the pulley 162 must in this case be a reversible motor and for this purpose a reversible switch 164: is pro vided to connect for forward drive 167 or backward drive 166. r

Having now described 1y invention, I claim :e i g 1. In a svstem for storing vehicles, having individual transfer cars, and a center aisle car, means for operating the coupling between adjacent cars by the position of the center aisle car, comprising a latch member positioned on one car and a holding element in the adjoining car, said latch member normally engaging said holding element, and means to Withdraw said holding element for the short interval in which said adjacent cars are separated, said means being operated by the movement of said center aisle car through a given position.

2. A system for storing vehicles on a floor comprising an open aisle, a plurality of movable individual carriers located therein,

individual carriers and means operated by the position of the open aisle carrier for separating the adjacent parallel rows.

7 3. A system for storingvehicles on a floor comprising an open aisle, a plurality of movable individual carriers located therein, means for linking said carriers together, adjacent parallel rows having a plurality of individual carriers and means operated auto- ,matically by the position of the open aisle carrier for separating the adjacent parallel rows opposite the position of the open aisle carrier.

i. A system for storing vehicles on a floor comprising an open aisle, a plurality of movj able individual i carriers located therein, means for linking said carriers together, adjacent parallel rows having a plurality of individual carriers, and means operated auto matically by the position of the open aisle carrier for separating the adjacent parallel rows opposite the position of the open'aisle carrier including a latch positioned on one carrier and a movable bar on the other carrier and means electrically operating said HOLMAN K. WHEELER.

means for linking said carriers together, ad- 7 llli 

